Flowers of Evil
by Kangae No Hinansho
Summary: Hermione and Ron have run into a rough patch in their marriage. After 25 years, the passion has run dry and Hermione finds herself in the arms of a seemingly perfect younger man. However, this man is not as perfect as he seems.
1. Chapter 1

This story is set in the distant future. It is not HP:DH compliant. Ron and Hermione have been married for 25 years and are currently 44. They have 5 children; 2 boys and 3 girls. They live in North Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.

The Flowers of Evil

Chapter 1

The Devil Wears Oxford Blue

"I'm off Hermione. I might not be home until late." Hermione nodded at Ron and turned to let him kiss her cheek goodbye. She closed the door gently and headed upstairs. Her silk robes hung open slightly, like it use to when they had made love in the morning. She snorted at the thought; they hadn't made love that morning, or the morning before, or before. In fact, as she stood at her bedroom door she cringed, thinking about the large bed sitting in there. It hadn't been used properly in such a long time. She shoved the door open and threw her robes on the sheets. She inspected herself in the mirror. _What's wrong with me? Am I not attractive anymore?_ She thought she was at least _reasonable_ attractive. Age hadn't put too much fat on her. Her skin was still clear and smooth. What had happened to her marriage? The first ten years had been hot and heavy. Even after their children, he had still wanted now, but now, after the last four months he hadn't touched her. He acted like he didn't want her. She would throw herself at him, stand in the doorway naked and he wouldn't respond. "I have to work Hermione," he would say. "Not now, I'm not in the mood," he would say. What man said he wasn't in the mood? She doubted it was some erection problem. She had caught him a few days ago with a hard-on, but he didn't seem to want her to help him. Today though, she wasn't going to worry. She was going to spend a few days with her son. She finished dressing and exited the house, her car keys in hand. It would be easy to apparate, but the University of Oxford had erected barriers on campus to keep students from apparating to places they shouldn't.

The car revved when she turned the key. Music began to play, blasting from the speakers. She pulled out of the long driveway, making her way to her son's flat. She was so proud of him. Her eldest, Crispian, was soon finishing up his undergraduate in medicine there. She hadn't seen him in almost ten months. His school work had been completely taking over his life, and now he had a few days of nothing that he could spend with his dear mum. He had accomplished a lot and she was proud to call him her son. The drive there wasn't horribly long and she pulled near to his flat. She rushed up the small steps and rang the bell.

"Ello?"

"It's your mum. Open up dear!" A buzzing noise came before Hermione pulled open the door. She rushed to his room and found the door ajar. "Crispian?" She stepped in, looking around. A man stood from behind the counter. He was definitely not her Crispian. She immediately backed away. "Oh merlin, I'm so sorry. I must of found the wrong apartment."

"Crisps's mum, right? Mrs. Weasley?" He gave her a grin. His teeth were impossibly straight and they stood a deep contrast against his tanned flesh and jet black hair.

"Um…yes."

"Ah, well Crisps told me to let you up when you came he shouldn't be longer then an hour. He went to the market to pick up a few things. I'm Ashley. We play rugby together."

"Oh! Ashley McCormick. Ah, Crispian talks a lot about you. He says you're an up and coming star in rugby."

He laughed, his arm reaching over to pat his head. Hermione noticed how well toned his arms were. "I wouldn't say that quite yet. I have a whole year of schooling left." His grin was contagious. _Oh, what a sweet boy. At least Crispian isn't hanging out with those ruffians anymore. _She grabbed the glass of water he offered and returned to her seat.

"So, Ashley, how hold are you? What are you schooling for?"

"Oh, well, I'm 21. Just a year behind Crisps. It's funny, I met him because a mutual friend of ours realized that Crisps and I had the same birthday. So she threw one large party. It was a little awkward since I didn't really know Crisps well at the time. I had only met him that one time at rugby practice, my first year playing. Ever since the party we have been great friends. I told him it would have been a tad creepy if we were both going to school for law….ah, that's what I plan. I want to be an Oxford lawyer. My father is one. And so was my grandfather." He laughed again. He seemed awfully nervous. Hermione rested her hand on his shoulder.

"Nervous laughter dear? What are you fretting over?"

He seemed to pause for a moment. "It's… nothing."

"Oh Merlin, after all the children I have had I know so much better."

"I…." A blush stained his tanned skin. It was a sort of cute, Hermione had to admit. "I just didn't expect you is all."

"Odd…I thought you said Crispian asked you to…."

"No, I mean I expected you to come today. I just didn't expect _you._" He seemed to be picking his words very delicately. Her slightly crossed expression made him blanche. "Ah….um….. I don't want you to be crass when I say this but I just didn't expect you to be so…pretty."

She sat, her hand still gripping his shoulder, her breathe stilled. How did she respond? The words hung in the air, heavy. Pretty. Oh so the little chap thought she was pretty? She smiled. "That's flattering coming from such a young man."

"Oh well, I'm not so young. A man yes, young no."

"You're 21."

"Yes and I think I'm quite the man. Don't you?"

Hermione stared at him. Was he trying to flirt with her? She immediately snuffed the thought. He was 21 and she was bleeding 44. "Aren't you a bold one?"

"It always works."

"Works? Works on what?"

"You're so witty, I wouldn't expect less from Crisps mum."

"Well, he had to get his intelligence from somewhere." She felt guilty at laughing at that. She had just called her husband stupid.

"Someone not happy in the nest?" Such a brazen question. Such a brazen _boy_. He came to sit near her, his arm laying behind her head, his fingers touching the loose strands of her hair. She was aching to let it all out, but part of her was screaming that it wasn't his concern. He was a 21 year old _boy_ who had no business asking such questions and looked absolutely devilish in his oxford blue shirt with a lopsided grin on his face and whose cologne was making her toes crinkle and whose nervous laugh was awfully endearing – but he's 21.

"The nest is fine," she whispered out. Oh, it sounded so believable.

"I might be a boy to you, but I am an excellent listener. Come now, you can tell me. It's awful to see such a pretty woman in such distress."

Did she really look distressed? She felt her wall breaking. She might as well say it. "My husband, Ronald…. He's… he is never home. He practically _lives_ at the ministry. And for the past four months he has acted like he doesn't see me… like he just doesn't find me appealing anymore."

"You're rather appealing…."

"And we haven't…we haven't…..we haven't made love in those four months. The most I get is a kissed cheek in the morning before he leaves. Merlin! He told me once that he just wasn't in the mood!!! WHAT MAN SAYS HE'S NOT IN THE BLOODY FUCKING MOOD!"

"Well I never…."

"At first I thought maybe he was suffering from some erection problem…..But almost a week ago I saw him with a rather painful looking one! HE'S PLAYING SOME GAME WITH ME!!! He just….."

"Making you lonely?"

"Yes!"

"It sounds like a rather…sadistic game." He moved closer to her, his finger stopped curling in her hair and moved to hold her shoulder, pushing her against his chest. She allowed her face to rest there. "I think you know what's going on…but are terribly afraid to admit it."

She was afraid. What woman wanted to admit that her husband was having an affair? "He wouldn't…he loves me. He's just swamped in work and orders and court and…."

"Another woman's snatch." He breathed in a moment before she pushed away from him, her hand coming up to slap him.

"Sweet Merlin! That mouth!"

He tried hard to not grin. "I'm sorry. I…" He leaned closer to her. "I have to be terribly honest with you. I find you rather appealing. I couldn't stop at just a swift peck in the morning. God knows I would want _you_ to take care of my painful erection. I am never _not_ in the mood, and I don't particularly like playing such games." He moved closer, close enough so that Hermione could see the gold specks that lit up his green eyes. "You're an intelligent and beautiful woman who doesn't deserve such treatment." He grinned and Hermione could feel her breathing still. "You need someone to correct all those horrid wrongs…." His tongue darted out to moisten his lips. Her eyes widened at bit at the sight. He had very nice lips. "Hermione." She released a breathe at the sound of her name. Ron never said her name like that. Her name never rolled off his lips the way it did his. He leaned closer still. "Let me correct it." She could feel his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. She swore she wetted herself a bit just before the entire world stopped. His lips touched hers, his tongue rubbing lightly against her bottom lip. Her eyes were still open and all she could see was the bright light in the kitchen. His kiss was light and she felt herself relaxing into him. His hands reached behind her head, pulling her closer so he could feel her breasts against him. He released a groan from the contact. His mouth tasted….like orange creamsavers. She deepened the kiss her fingers rubbing circles on the nape of his neck. His lips left hers and found a spot in the hollow of her throat. She moaned at the feeling. This was wrong. This was horribly wrong, but she couldn't stop. His hands no longer held her head, they rubbed against her hips. One came up to cup her breast. She leaned into him, wanting more of the contact. She hadn't had this contact in so long, and here was the young and handsome man, eager to give it to. Who was she to say no? _You're a married woman!_

"Stop," she breathed out. His lips stilled against her flesh. They didn't move, they simply stayed pressed against her collar bone, his cheek rubbing against the collar of her shirt. His hand moved, groping her breast, weighing it in his hands.

"You don't want me to," he said before resuming his kisses. She could feel his fingers undoing the buttons of her blouse. She wanted…needed…this so badly, but it wasn't worth violating Ron's trust. She released a loud moan when his mouth suckled her breath through her bra. _Stop this Hermione! What if Crispian walked in?_ She bit her lip at the thought of her son. She pulled away from Ashley, distancing herself at the edge of the sofa. He looked confused.

"We have to stop." Her fingers felt horribly numb as she buttoned her shirt and attempted to fix her hair. They sat in silence for a moment before he spoke again.

"Maybe we could…."

The both froze at the sound of the door opening. Crispian walked in, his hands full of groceries and his auburn hair tousled. Ashley went to help him. "Mum!" He exclaimed at the sight of Hermione. "You haven't been waiting long have you?"

"Oh no, no. I just got here," she lied. "Ashley was kind enough to let me in." She stood to hug her son. "You look like you've lost a bit of weight."

"Yeah. School doesn't leave much time to eat." He gave her a wide grin. She knew what he was asking.

"I feel so used Crispian! You wanted me to come over so I could cook!?"

"Well….."

"You have no girlfriends who can cook for you?"

"Not currently…."

Hermione could only snort. She walked to him to turn on the oven and prayed he couldn't smell Ashley's cologne on her.

A/N:

Okay… the orange creamsavers part…I could not help myself. My first kiss was with a guy whose mouth tasted like that and let me tell you to this very day I can still faintly taste it when I think about it. I mean….that kiss was PHENOMENAL!!!! Also……. I know it seems Ashley came on a little strong a little quick but although this is Hermione's first time meeting him, this is definitely not Ashley's first time seeing her. But all of that will be explained later in the story. SSSooooooo REVIEW!!!


	2. Chapter 2

O my god… it has been almost two full years since I updated this story. What happened? I don't even know how I lost this story... I think this is one I lost when my old comp crashed … hmmm…. well dammit, it's summer and I am out of school now. So guess what that means? UPDATES!!!!

Flowers of Evil

Chapter 2: Just you and me

Hermione's visit had been nothing but uncomfortable yet exhilarating. Ashley McCormick was a bold and determined young man. His kisses were downright intoxicating. At first, he would always kiss her by surprise; sometimes he would do it when Crispian's back was turned and other times he would find ways to pull her away. During her short stay, Hermione caught herself kissing back, and her guilt had dwindled. Ron wasn't going to touch her, and here was a young man who wanted to do nothing _but_ touch her. Hermione took a breath as she pulled into her driveway. Ron would be leaving to France for three weeks. Natasha and Arielle, her youngest ones were spending two months visiting their cousins in Japan. For at least three weeks, her home would be empty—and Hermione had invited Ashley to come by whenever he pleased for those three weeks. As her hands touched the door knob of her home, her stomach dropped. She could see a car pulling into her drive way and Ashley stepping out. What was she doing? She could run in the house and lock the door, maybe even put up a few spells. Ashley was a muggle boy—an amazingly beautiful muggle boy. She pushed the door open, leaving it open for Ashley to follow.

At the sound of the door shutting behind him, she knew she had to find a way out of this. This was silly. All she was doing was being vindictive against Ron, and two wrongs wouldn't make a right. "Nervous?" he asked. She stood in the hall, her bags sitting against the staircase. She didn't turn to him. "I don't want to be a mistake for you."

"Perhaps you should leave? I'm sorry." She turned to find him standing only inches from her. His cologne wafted into her nostrils. He smelled delightful and he pulled her close to him. "Ashley…"

"Hm?"

"We shouldn't do this."

"But we can. We both need this." His hand came to caress her face before he lowered his to her. His breath tickled the skin of her lips. "Do you even realize how beautiful you are?" His lips brushed hers before ghosting to her chin then neck. "You smell so good." His large hands made their way to her hips, grinding her against him. They stumbled to the wall, her soft body trapped against his hard one. She had almost forgotten what it felt like to have a warm body against her in this way. A groan escaped her as he sucked at her throat.

"Ashley…"

"Don't say no. Don't tell me to stop."

"We must…"

"What will stopping do?" He pulled away slightly so that his darkened green eyes could stare into hers. "Hermione…I just don't want your body. I want you." Her body tensed against him.

"I'm a married woman…"

"How about for these three weeks…you just be Hermione?" His lopsided grin made her heart skip. His hand gripped her left hand and he pulled her rings off. "You are just Hermione and I'm just Ashley. And for some reason, we are both attracted to each other. How about that?"

"That doesn't change…"

"Shhh…. It's called living. You want to try living for a bit?" His grin widened. Hermione stared up at him. Her eyes darted to the small table in the hall with her rings. She could just be Hermione for these three weeks. Ron wouldn't know. He wouldn't care. Crispian wouldn't know. None of her children could see what horrible deeds she fantasized about committing. She was just a healthy woman who had needs that were not being met but now has someone to meet all of those needs. And he was a healthy virile man who only wanted to meet her needs. Merlin be damned, she was just Hermione and he was just Ashley.

I swear the next chapter will be better. :P

KNH


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